(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter, top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, slammed the Corps today for not adequately dredging the Calcasieu River Ship Channel. The Corps has failed to maintain the channel to its authorized width and depth, which forced Lake Charles pilots to implement restrictions on the main channel of the Calcasieu River.

“Let me be crystal clear, the Corps’ failure to adequately dredge is unacceptable,” Vitter told the Corps. “The Corps’ gross mismanagement of the channel is beyond frustrating, and could cause a huge economic loss for Louisiana. The Corps needs to address this immediately.”

Vitter highlighted that the Corps’ failure to properly dredge the Calcasieu River Ship Channel will have a negative impact on the Port of Lake Charles, the nation’s 13th largest port, and the approximately $70 billion in announced domestic energy investment in southwest Louisiana. The delays by the Corps could mean that over 20,000 barrels of crude oil may not be transported into currently-operating refining facilities, creating potential financial losses of over $350 million. It could also jeopardize approximately 27,000 construction jobs and 50,000 direct and indirect jobs created by Port of Lake Charles, current refining facilities, and future domestic energy projects.

Vitter’s letter to Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army, is below.

December 1, 2014

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUESTED

The Honorable Jo-Ellen Darcy
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)
108 Army Pentagon
Room 3E446
Washington, DC 20310-0108 Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick
Chief of Engineers
Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
441 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20314-1000

RE: Draft Restrictions on the Calcasieu River Ship Channel

Dear Secretary Darcy and General Bostick:

Due to the deteriorating nature of the Calcasieu River Ship Channel, the Lake Charles Pilots have initiated maximum draft restrictions today for the main channel of the Calcasieu River of 38-feet for vessels over 106-feet of beam and 39-feet for vessels 106-feet or less. Also, the entrance to the Industrial Canal, east of the Calcasieu intersection, is limited to a maximum draft of 34-feet and the A-4 anchorage is limited to a maximum draft of 34-feet. As you are aware, one of the Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) primary missions – dating back over a century – is to maintain our nation’s ports and waterways.

Let me be crystal clear, the imposition of these draft restrictions is unacceptable. The loss of the authorized 40-foot draft on the Calcasieu River Ship Channel negatively impact our nation’s 13th largest port as well as the approximately $70 billion in announced domestic energy investment in southwest Louisiana. With the loss of each foot of draft imposed by these restrictions, over 20,000 barrels crude oil are not able to be transported into currently-operating refining facilities creating future financial losses of over $350 million. These restrictions and the resulting negative impacts also jeopardize the approximately 27,000 construction and 50,000 direct and indirect jobs created by Port of Lake Charles, current refining facilities, and future domestic energy projects.

I am frustrated that the Corps – with its century-old navigation maintenance experience and budget forecasting capability – could unequivocally fail to properly maintain the Calcasieu River Ship Channel given the billions in current and announced domestic energy investments. Continuing this level of gross mismanagement of the channel will have grave consequences for Louisiana and the nation as we strive to stimulate job growth and increase domestic energy production.

In order to address this administration’s anemic budget allocation of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) dollars, I authored and passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, which set minimum yearly HMTF funding levels, prioritized funding for high-use (above 10 million tons) ports, and expanded the criteria used to allocate HMTF funding to include domestic energy production. While the Corps has not issued implementation guidance for those provisions under Subtitle B – Port and Harbor Maintenance – I encourage you to expeditiously and favorably address Congressional intent to prevent future draft restrictions on the Calcasieu River Ship Channel and other major ports and waterways throughout the country.

As you address Fiscal Year 2015 funding, either through a Continuing Resolution or Omnibus Appropriations Act, I request that you and your team give strong consideration for the negative impacts caused by these draft restrictions and seek resolution to maintain the channel to its authorized 40-foot depth. I also request the same, strong consideration be given when you finalize the Fiscal Year 2016 President’s Budget. Lastly, I request that you work with affected current and future stakeholders to address this financially catastrophic situation. It is imperative that these draft restrictions cease to be an impediment to my state and this nation’s economic growth.

Thank you and I look forward to your expeditious resolution.

Sincerely,

David Vitter
United States Senator